Job 38

Job 38Amplified Bible (AMP)

God Speaks Now to Job

38 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,

2 “Who is this that darkens counsel [questioning my authority and wisdom]By words without knowledge?3 “Now [a]gird up your loins like a man,And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?Tell Me, if you know and have understanding.5 “Who determined the measurements [of the earth], if you know?Or who stretched the [measuring] line on it?6 “On what were its foundations fastened?Or who laid its cornerstone,7 When the morning stars sang togetherAnd all the sons of God (angels) shouted for joy?

8 “Or who enclosed the sea with doorsWhen it burst forth and went out of the womb;9 When I made the clouds its garmentAnd thick darkness its swaddling band,10 And marked for it My [appointed] boundaryAnd set bars and doors [defining the shorelines],11 And said, ‘This far you shall come, but no farther;And here your proud waves shall stop’?

God’s Mighty Power

12 “Since your days began, have you ever commanded the morning,And caused the dawn to know its place,13 So that light may take hold of the corners of the earthAnd shake the wickedness out of it?14 “The earth is changed like clay into which a seal is pressed;And the things [of the earth] stand out like a [multi-colored] garment.15 “Their light is withheld from the wicked,And the uplifted arm is broken.

16 “Have you entered and explored the springs of the seaOr [have you] walked in the recesses of the deep?17 “Have the gates of death been revealed to you,Or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?18 “Have you understood the expanse of the earth?Tell Me, if you know all this.

19 “Where is the [b]way where light dwells?And as for darkness, where is its place,20 That you may take it to its territoryAnd that you may know the paths to its house?21 “You [must] know, since you were born then,And [c]because you are so extremely old!22 “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow,Or have you seen the storehouses of the hail,23 Which I have reserved for the time of trouble,For the day of battle and war?24 “Where is the way that the light is distributed,Or the east wind scattered over the earth?

25 “Who has prepared a channel for the torrents of rain and for the flood,Or a path for the thunderbolt,26 To bring rain on the uninhabited land,And on the desert where no man lives,27 To satisfy the barren and desolate groundAnd to make the seeds of grass to sprout?28 “Has the rain a father?Or who has begotten the drops of dew?29 “Out of whose womb has come the ice?And the frost of heaven, who has given it birth?30 “Water becomes like stone [and hides itself],And the surface of the deep is frozen and imprisoned.

31 “Can you bind the chains of [the cluster of stars called] Pleiades,Or loose the cords of [the constellation] Orion?32 “Can you lead forth a [d]constellation in its season,And guide [the stars of] the Bear with her [e]sons?33 “Do you know the ordinances of the heavens,Or [can you] establish their rule over the earth?

34 “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,So that an abundance of water will cover you?35 “Can you send forth lightnings that they may goAnd say to you, ‘Here we are’?36 “Who has put wisdom in the innermost being [of man, or in the layers of clouds]Or given understanding to the mind [of man, or to the heavenly display]?37 “Who can count the clouds by [earthly] wisdom,Or pour out the water jars of the heavens,38 When the dust hardens into a massAnd the clods stick together [because of the heat]?

39 “Can you [Job] hunt the prey for the lion,Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions40 When they crouch in their densAnd lie in wait in their lair?41 “Who provides prey for the ravenWhen its young cry to GodAnd wander about without food?

Footnotes:

Job 38:3A phrase often found in the Bible that is an urgent call to get ready for immediate action, or it may be a call to prepare for a coming action or event. The phrase is related to the type of clothing worn in ancient times. To keep from impeding the wearer during any vigorous activity, e.g. battle, exercise, strenuous work, etc., the loose ends of garments (tunics, cloaks, mantles, etc.) had to be gathered up and tucked into the girdle. The girdle was a band about six inches wide that had fasteners in front. It was worn around the loins (the midsection of the body between the lower ribs and the hips). Gird up your mind or gird up your heart are examples of variants of this phrase and call for mental or spiritual preparation for a coming challenge.

Job 38:19Light travels on a path or “way” through empty space at 299,792,458 meters per second (approximately 186,282 miles per second).

Job 38Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

The Lord Speaks

38 Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind. He said:

2 Who is this who obscures My counselwith ignorant words?3 Get ready to answer Me like a man;when I question you, you will inform Me.4 Where were you when I established the earth?Tell Me, if you have[a] understanding.5 Who fixed its dimensions? Certainly you know!Who stretched a measuring line across it?6 What supports its foundations?Or who laid its cornerstone7 while the morning stars sang togetherand all the sons of God shouted for joy?

8 Who enclosed the sea behind doorswhen it burst from the womb,9 when I made the clouds its garmentand thick darkness its blanket,[b]10 when I determined its boundaries[c]and put its bars and doors in place,11 when I declared: “You may come this far, but no farther;your proud waves stop here”?

12 Have you ever in your life commanded the morningor assigned the dawn its place,13 so it may seize the edges of the earthand shake the wicked out of it?14 The earth is changed as clay is by a seal;its hills stand out like the folds of a garment.15 Light[d] is withheld from the wicked,and the arm raised in violence is broken.

16 Have you traveled to the sources of the seaor walked in the depths of the oceans?17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you?Have you seen the gates of deep darkness?18 Have you comprehended the extent of the earth?Tell Me, if you know all this.

19 Where is the road to the home of light?Do you know where darkness lives,20 so you can lead it back to its border?Are you familiar with the paths to its home?21 Don’t you know? You were already born;you have lived so long![e]22 Have you entered the place where the snow is stored?Or have you seen the storehouses of hail,23 which I hold in reserve for times of trouble,for the day of warfare and battle?24 What road leads to the place where light is dispersed?[f]Where is the source of the east wind that spreads across the earth?

25 Who cuts a channel for the flooding rainor clears the way for lightning,26 to bring rain on an uninhabited land,on a desert with no human life,[g]27 to satisfy the parched wastelandand cause the grass to sprout?28 Does the rain have a father?Who fathered the drops of dew?29 Whose womb did the ice come from?Who gave birth to the frost of heaven30 when water becomes as hard as stone,[h]and the surface of the watery depths is frozen?

31 Can you fasten the chains of the Pleiadesor loosen the belt of Orion?32 Can you bring out the constellations[i] in their seasonand lead the Bear[j] and her cubs?33 Do you know the laws of heaven?Can you impose its[k] authority on earth?34 Can you command[l] the cloudsso that a flood of water covers you?35 Can you send out lightning bolts, and they go?Do they report to you: “Here we are”?

36 Who put wisdom in the heart[m]or gave the mind understanding?37 Who has the wisdom to number the clouds?Or who can tilt the water jars of heaven38 when the dust hardens like cast metaland the clods of dirt stick together?

39 Can you hunt prey for a lionessor satisfy the appetite of young lions40 when they crouch in their densand lie in wait within their lairs?41 Who provides the raven’s foodwhen its young cry out to Godand wander about for lack of food?

Job 38New International Version (NIV)

The Lord Speaks

38 Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:

2 “Who is this that obscures my planswith words without knowledge?3 Brace yourself like a man;I will question you,and you shall answer me.

4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?Tell me, if you understand.5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!Who stretched a measuring line across it?6 On what were its footings set,or who laid its cornerstone—7 while the morning stars sang togetherand all the angels[a] shouted for joy?

8 “Who shut up the sea behind doorswhen it burst forth from the womb,9 when I made the clouds its garmentand wrapped it in thick darkness,10 when I fixed limits for itand set its doors and bars in place,11 when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;here is where your proud waves halt’?

12 “Have you ever given orders to the morning,or shown the dawn its place,13 that it might take the earth by the edgesand shake the wicked out of it?14 The earth takes shape like clay under a seal;its features stand out like those of a garment.15 The wicked are denied their light,and their upraised arm is broken.

16 “Have you journeyed to the springs of the seaor walked in the recesses of the deep?17 Have the gates of death been shown to you?Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?18 Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?Tell me, if you know all this.

19 “What is the way to the abode of light?And where does darkness reside?20 Can you take them to their places?Do you know the paths to their dwellings?21 Surely you know, for you were already born!You have lived so many years!

22 “Have you entered the storehouses of the snowor seen the storehouses of the hail,23 which I reserve for times of trouble,for days of war and battle?24 What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed,or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth?25 Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain,and a path for the thunderstorm,26 to water a land where no one lives,an uninhabited desert,27 to satisfy a desolate wastelandand make it sprout with grass?28 Does the rain have a father?Who fathers the drops of dew?29 From whose womb comes the ice?Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens30 when the waters become hard as stone,when the surface of the deep is frozen?

31 “Can you bind the chains[b] of the Pleiades?Can you loosen Orion’s belt?32 Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons[c]or lead out the Bear[d] with its cubs?33 Do you know the laws of the heavens?Can you set up God’s[e] dominion over the earth?

34 “Can you raise your voice to the cloudsand cover yourself with a flood of water?35 Do you send the lightning bolts on their way?Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?36 Who gives the ibis wisdom[f]or gives the rooster understanding?[g]37 Who has the wisdom to count the clouds?Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens38 when the dust becomes hardand the clods of earth stick together?

39 “Do you hunt the prey for the lionessand satisfy the hunger of the lions40 when they crouch in their densor lie in wait in a thicket?41 Who provides food for the ravenwhen its young cry out to Godand wander about for lack of food?

Job 38The Message (MSG)

God Confronts Job

Have You Gotten to the Bottom of Things?

38 And now, finally, God answered Job from the eye of a violent storm. He said:

2-11 “Why do you confuse the issue?Why do you talk without knowing what you’re talking about?Pull yourself together, Job!Up on your feet! Stand tall!I have some questions for you,and I want some straight answers.Where were you when I created the earth?Tell me, since you know so much!Who decided on its size? Certainly you’ll know that!Who came up with the blueprints and measurements?How was its foundation poured,and who set the cornerstone,While the morning stars sang in chorusand all the angels shouted praise?And who took charge of the oceanwhen it gushed forth like a baby from the womb?That was me! I wrapped it in soft clouds,and tucked it in safely at night.Then I made a playpen for it,a strong playpen so it couldn’t run loose,And said, ‘Stay here, this is your place.Your wild tantrums are confined to this place.’

12-15 “And have you ever ordered Morning, ‘Get up!’told Dawn, ‘Get to work!’So you could seize Earth like a blanketand shake out the wicked like cockroaches?As the sun brings everything to light,brings out all the colors and shapes,The cover of darkness is snatched from the wicked—they’re caught in the very act!

16-18 “Have you ever gotten to the true bottom of things,explored the labyrinthine caves of deep ocean?Do you know the first thing about death?Do you have one clue regarding death’s dark mysteries?And do you have any idea how large this earth is?Speak up if you have even the beginning of an answer.

19-21 “Do you know where Light comes fromand where Darkness livesSo you can take them by the handand lead them home when they get lost?Why, of course you know that.You’ve known them all your life,grown up in the same neighborhood with them!

22-30 “Have you ever traveled to where snow is made,seen the vault where hail is stockpiled,The arsenals of hail and snow that I keep in readinessfor times of trouble and battle and war?Can you find your way to where lightning is launched,or to the place from which the wind blows?Who do you suppose carves canyonsfor the downpours of rain, and chartsthe route of thunderstormsThat bring water to unvisited fields,deserts no one ever lays eyes on,Drenching the useless wastelandsso they’re carpeted with wildflowers and grass?And who do you think is the father of rain and dew,the mother of ice and frost?You don’t for a minute imaginethese marvels of weather just happen, do you?

31-33 “Can you catch the eye of the beautiful Pleiades sisters,or distract Orion from his hunt?Can you get Venus to look your way,or get the Great Bear and her cubs to come out and play?Do you know the first thing about the sky’s constellationsand how they affect things on Earth?

34-35 “Can you get the attention of the clouds,and commission a shower of rain?Can you take charge of the lightning boltsand have them report to you for orders?

What Do You Have to Say for Yourself?

36-38 “Who do you think gave weather-wisdom to the ibis,and storm-savvy to the rooster?Does anyone know enough to number all the cloudsor tip over the rain barrels of heavenWhen the earth is cracked and dry,the ground baked hard as a brick?

39-41 “Can you teach the lioness to stalk her preyand satisfy the appetite of her cubsAs they crouch in their den,waiting hungrily in their cave?And who sets out food for the ravenswhen their young cry to God,fluttering about because they have no food?”

Share

Step 1 - Create an account or log in to start your free trial.

Starting your free trial of Bible Gateway Plus is easy. You’re already logged in with your Bible Gateway account. The next step is to enter your payment information. Your credit card won’t be charged until the trial period is over. You can cancel anytime during the trial period.

Already Subscribed

Upgrade to the best value in online Bible study

Want to get the most out of Bible Gateway? Find out why Bible Gateway Plus is the ultimate toolkit for anyone seeking to grow closer to the Word. For less than the cost of a latte, Plus membership gives you access to a complete digital Bible study library and reduced banner ads. Try it free for 30 days!